Android viruses are getting more and more complex. The latest one uncovered by Kaspersky, not only attacks your Android smartphone but also infects your computer.
Here’s how it works:
– Users inadvertently download the malware from a website which can even be Google Play. – After installing the infected application, the malware has the following abilities,
Sending SMS messages.
Enabling Wi-Fi.
Gathering information about the device.
Opening arbitrary links in a browser.
Uploading the SD card’s entire contents.
Uploading an arbitrary file (or folder) to the master’s server.
Uploading all SMS messages.
Deleting all SMS messages.
Uploading all the contacts/photos/coordinates from the device to the master.
But that’s not all, like mentioned earlier, once you connect your smartphone to your PC, the malware then immediately infects your computer. The malware acts as a spying device on your PC and starts the microphone device recording all audio surrounding it. It will then transmit all the recorded data to the spying user.
Targeted devices includes those running with an older Android OS, and running unprotected Windows PCs. Not the most virulent malware, but still, quite a pain.
As always, you should try to download apps only from Google Play and even then, only those that come from a trusted developer.
[Via Kaspersky]